To Diet or Not To Diet

As you know, I've been on a very successful weight loss diet, Start Fresh, for a few months already. So why this great rhetorical question?

Most people think of "diet" as a temporary solution to a weight problem. But if it's temporary, the problem will just return post-diet. Statistically, that's what happens to most of us.

Over the years I managed to lose weight and look great, and then... I'd gain it back plus. I got tired of following whatever rules had helped me slim down.

Now, my aim isn't a diet, it's to change my eating habits. I keep telling people that I don't feel like I'm dieting. I'm not hungry. I don't suffer from food cravings. I no longer have to preplan my day's meals. I have a pretty good picture in my mind of how many of each types of food I've eaten and have left to eat. I do not count calories and have pretty much deleted my mental calorie counter from my brain.

In a general sense I'm following Start Fresh. Its guidelines are similar to most of today's conventional weight loss diets with the added advantage for me that it takes into account Jewish Holidays and Kashrut, Jewish Dietary Laws. I've always taken the option of planning my own meals, since the sample meals don't suit me. And also, the minute someone else tells me what I must or mustn't eat, I have a physiological need to rebel.

So, on one hand, you can say that I'm on a diet, but it's not planned to be temporary. I'm working hard on permanently changing my eating, so that I'll never be obese again.

Long Day, Not Over

I was up at 4am, so I could take the 6:30am bus. What am I going to do next week when I have to take the 6am bus?

After two lectuers, back-to-back at Matan about the ancient Prophets, Eliyahu and Elisha, I was tired. It was the first time I had learned anything about them.

Then I went to downtown, center of Jerusalem and met two of my daughters for lunch. And then we shopped. Actually, I didn't buy anything.

Then I got a ride to Ofra, since my daughter had brought her car. Then I tremped (hitchiked) home.

Then I ate and got the house ready for the first successful meeting of my diet group. Only a couple of women came, but I think it went well.

I put a wash in the machine. I don't want to fall asleep now, even though I need to. Law & Order's on tonight.

I have to post the 2nd edtion of the Blogging About Losing Weight Carnival. Not tonight. I'm too tired.

Starting Something New

A few years ago, I took a "Coaching Course" to be a "Life Coach." I really enjoyed the course and got a certificate for my time spent there. And I did feel that I learned what it was all about. Of course working in the field is something else.

At that time, Coaching was unknown is Israel, and I was busy with EFL English teaching. But now I'm unemployed.

I'm also dieting according to Start Fresh. I decided to start an informal, unofficial diet support group. I have lots of neighbors on diets, which they got from all sorts of sources. Some are simple weight loss and others for diabetes and other conditions. Most of the diets are basically the same, except for those with certain medical problems.

The one thing we all have in common is that we feel the need for "support." So I decided to dust off that Coaching Certification and make a diet support group.

I have to get the house ready. People are coming. So far no money's involved. I consider this an experiment prior to hanging out my shingle as Coach.

I Wish I Could Get One Of Those

Yesterday afternoon the computer maven made a home visit and added extra memory to our old pc. It had been working so slowly, like it was drugged or in early stages of senility. I had to keep looking for things to do between pressing buttons, aka tapping the keys, and seeing whatever on the screen. I keep a nail file, tweezers and nail polish next to the keyboard, so there's always something to do.

This computer was first bought twelve years ago, a couple of months after my baby's Bar Mitzvah. There isn't much left in original parts. According to the maven's records, it had a major make-over about seven years ago. A lot of people would consider a seven year old computer a "museum item," but I don't believe in dumping anything that still works. And we certainly can't afford to buy anything right now.

Bli eyin haraa, don't let the evil eye get at it, our olde trusty pc is processing much more quickly than before. The "transplanted" memory has certainly made a difference. I wish that humans could be rejuvenated as easily...

Maybe They Use The Slats Of The Window Blinds For Chop Sticks?

Mother in Israel posted the most hysterical cleaning advice for this pre-Pesach season.

For the past month or two, I've been trying to make sure that my chametz inventory has gone down. This year it's particularly hard, since after stocking up on whole wheat noodles and other carbohydrates, I started a diet and discovered that I function best sans starch. If I see that I have too much left over, I'll start giving to neighbors. There are also neighbors here who collect unopened packages of chametz, sell it for Pesach, and then they donate the food to poor families.

Cleaning? Well, I wiped out some fridge shelves last week. OK, that's something good housekeepers do daily or weekly, but I'm not a good housekeeper. My priority is clean food on clean dishes. Nothing else counts, except clean laundry. And yes the floors do get washed, toilets, too.

But about the windows, there was a defect in the design. We have double windows, the first in the yishuv, and the window guy made all his mistakes on us. The livingroom/diningroom ones can't be cleaned. It's that simple. And I also haven't found a way of eating from them, so if there's dirt, it's not chametz and not even food. I've never seen a dog try to climb up and lick them. According to Jewish Law, that's the test. I once asked Awol, who was our family dog, when I was becoming religious to try my blush-on. One sniff and she avoided it. It was sure an easier way to check it for Pesach than asking a rabbi.

Well, three weeks to go before Passover, and I can't imagine being ready already.

Just Call Her HHaviva!

Chaviva presents her debut Havel Havelim. Great job, well organized and not hungover at all!

Thanks!

It Took A While...

One never knows how long it will take until posts are commented on. This one finally got its first comment last night, four and a half years after it was posted!

My guess is that somebody "googled" King David, King Solomon, sons and hit my post.

After replying to the comment, I changed the color of the writing. It had been in a green which didn't show up well on today's background. Originally the background was white or much lighter, so a lot of my earlier posts are extremely hard to read. If I ever get around to changing the template, I'll make the background a bit lighter. I was sure that being out of work would provide me with the time to upgrade my templates, but I'm not getting more things done.

Blogger claims no typos. I hope it's right. Don't be shy about commenting corrections. Thanks

Looking Forward, Looking Back

I'm pretty busy. I don't know how I would manage if I was working... OK, last week was Purim. Between the pre-Purim Fast of Ester and Shiloh's 2 day Purim, most of the week was taken. Then Thursday night we went out... out to the ballgame. No, "cracker Jacks" or hot dogs. No baseball, but we saw another American game.

Who in a million years would have guessed that we'd be going to tackle football in Israel? In Jerusalem? I wouldn't have guessed, predicted such a thing. I had never been to a game like that in New York. My father didn't go, and I don't remember my brother going, though I left when he was just a high school graduate. They didn't watch the games on TV either. The only time you'd see football on our TV was when my cousins came over.

But somehow, my baby became a football fan and player during his two years in the states. And now he's one of the best defense players in the league. I'm not allowed to say any more.

WEJEW Question

I opened an account on WEJEW. It is easy to use, etc, but I have a bissel problem. For some reason, I can't get the movies onto my blogs.

Something goes wrong between pasting the code and publishing the post. A section of the code disappears, and nothing appears except in "Edit Html." I'm just curious if anyone else is having the problem. My blogger templates are old. I'm wondering if that's somehow connected to the problem. I never redid the template when blogger went beta.

Time to attack the kitchen and house to prepare for Shabbat.

We Won!

We=Jerusalem Big Blue Lions, AFI American Football in Israel

And last night was a game at Kraft Stadium, Jerusalem, against the Jerusalem Kings. It was a tough, suspenseful game, and the Lions won!!

Yes, we were there. Do you know why?

As Promised....

Just for suspense, let's start with a gorgeous picture of early spring kalaniyot.

And here's this year's Purim door.

And finally... my costume.

Nu, do you know what's special? I only wear a wig on Purim. After my wedding, I discovered that my great-grandmother (whom I'm named after) vowed to her father that she wouldn't wear a wig, only a hat/tichel. But before she left Poland for New York after his death, she was urged to go to a special Beit Din, religious court, to nullify that vow. The dayanim, rabbis, insisted that he would agree that what's good for Neshelsk, Poland isn't good for New York, USA, and there she could wear a shaitel. Well, as his direct descendant, I disagree. We have principles in our genes. So l'ilui nishmatam, to elevate their souls, I make a point of wearing a wig on Purim.

Is It A "Dybbuk?"

Has a dybbuk taken over blog carnival? All week there has been only one carnival listed on my "thingee" on the sidebar.

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* Featured Carnival *

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This usually goes on for a day or two, but it has been all week! I wrote a letter to "customer support" complaining. So far, no answer and no change.

No Doubt, Law & Order, Special Victims, The Best TV Series

I have no idea which season we're watching now, but it's great. I think it's even better than the previous ones. Last night we saw one with so many twists and turns in the plot and the greatest TV acting.


We're in the season in which Olivia, Mariska Hargitay, returned. Was that after the actress had a baby?
We also watch CSI. I prefer the Los Vegas one, but for some reason, Israel IBA is repeating the previous season, the one we just saw.
Those are the only two shows I watch, besides a bit of news. I need some new movies, since I've seen my collection enough. I'd love to get Seraphic Secrets's Within These Walls. He has tempted me with the background story of his research.

WEJEWing It

WEJEW is a kosher alternative to youtube. One interesting difference is that after uploading a "movie" short, you won't see it on the site until a real person checks it out. That means that if you use WEJEW, you shouldn't have unexpected and unpleasant surprises when searching for a movie.

I signed up with the same name, shilohmuse, which I have on youtube. It's also easy to copy/upload your youtube movies/videos onto WEJEW. It just takes seconds.

I do like this stuff better than facebook.

Purim #2, Shushan Purim, What Should I Do?

I must get myself ready to go hear Megillah Reading #4, the final of this years series. And then I'll get ready and give out "Mishloach Manot," the Purim food gifts. But after that, I really don't have anything to do.

My husband went to work, and I guess I'll just eat the required feast by myself. There is plenty to eat in the house.

Yesterday the kids, our wonderful sons, cooked lots of meat, much more than I usually eat. They also made salads and vegetables. I also made some vegetables, and I had a bite of pitta from my Yemenite neighbors. Later in the evening I had an apple. That's how full I was.

It's still Purim here, and I guess I'll post pictures including of my costume later.

Sorry for typos, blogger's spellcheck is on "holiday."

Interesting Diet Theory

Standard weight loss diet advice calls for a fairly identical eating plan each day. I haven't been doing it and keep wondering about the pros and cons. I eat very little starch/carbohydrates, except Shabbat. It's the only time of the week, I have bread. And I usually have some "starchy vegetable," too, like sweet potatoes, pumpkin etc. Actually, Shabbat is an entirely different meal schedule and menu.

I was surprised to find that some diet experts even recommend variation for losing weight, claiming that it keeps the metabolism going more quickly. Routine is more fattening.

I haven't seen this on Start Fresh, but they don't object to it. I have a lot of freedom in my meal planning.

Some People Handle It Better

I've mentioned that I can't take the noise at Megillah readings and other events. I'm hyper-sensitive and a bit ADHD. My concentration goes bananas at times. Things disturb me which don't bother others. Call me nuts, if you want.

At tonight's, that's the third of four, Megillat Esther readings, just before it began, I noticed that a kid had a toy gun. I was afraid that the boy was planning on shooting "caps" during the "quiet reading." I quickly called over the hostess and asked her to check it out. I was there, because it was billed as a "quiet" reading. She spoke to the father and seemed reassured that all was ok.

Soon into the reading I became aware of a strange clicking sound. It was, obviously, loud enough to grab my attention, but nobody else seemed to notice. I was trying very hard to concentrate on the page, but ADHD says it all.

I finally discerned that the noise was coming from that kid's gun. There were no caps in it, but he was "shooting" it empty. Periodically, his father tried to stop him, but my ADHD is small potatoes compared to the little boy.

For me it was a major challenge, staying calm, focused and keeping a happy or even a benign look on my face.

I survived it, losing track of the words, not much more than usual. I appreciate that for that little boy, staying as quiet as he was, was a great accomplishment. May G-d give his parents the strength and wisdom needed.

ps It certainly helped that I sat in a seat by the wall. When you have a "disability," it's important to know what tricks help.

What's Your Purim Disguise?

I have a standard, traditional disguise every year. I'll have to be photographed for you to see it. It's a "nahafochu," reverse/opposite of my standard. There's halachik basis to it.

Until it's posted, you can guess, and send links in your comments to your own Purim costume.

Now, I had better get ready for Megillah reading 2 out of 4. Yes, this is Shiloh! We celebrate two days of Purim. I have 3 pineapple surprise cakes in the oven and another awaiting its turn. Recipe, later.

Blogger's spellcheck's on vacation again, sorry for typos.

There Is NO Mitzvah To Make Noise During The Megillah Reading!

We are supposed to listen carefully to every word!

I can't stand loud noises. I have walked out of "parties." I have sat with my hands over my ears at weddings.

I don't go to my local shul for Purim. I can't concentrate when people are making noise. I don't find noise joyous.

Even though my hearing has gotten worse with the years, my tolerance for noise has gotten worse, too.

As an extention of the Mitzvah to Remember what Amalek did to the Jewish People, we are supposed to listen to the Megilat (Scroll of) Ester, and we are to understand what's being said. An uninhibited noisy carnival atmosphere goes against the purpose of the reading.

Baruch Hashem, we have neighbors who invite others to hear the Megillah, yes, hear the megillah, every word in their home.

Chag Purim Sameach
Have A Joyful Purim

Hungry!

Call me a wimp, whatever you want. I don't like to fast. According to Jewish Law, the day before Purim is a fast day, to commemorate the fast of the Jews of Persia when they realized that Haman had the power to destroy/murder them all.

I'm hungry. I never liked fasting. I think of food all the time. I miss my coffee and I even miss drinking water.

My body hurts; I'm hungry.

I usualy adjust to it mid-afternnoon.

I'm making lots of spelling mistakes, typos galore.

I'm just one of those people who needs food.

Wash #3 is in the machine, and all I can think about is food.

I'm tired, too.

I'm cold from not eating.

Enough kvetching.

Must make up the shopping list. My husband is going down to shop. He fasts better than me. So does his sister. They can go the day without food for no reason. I can't.

Time to start cooking.

Blogger must be "fasting," since it's spellcheck is striking or something.